I just retuned from Sicily last summer spent four years there. A buddy of mine has a H tiger he towed it with a 1973 Cinquecinto very similar to a old mini coopper the motor was as big as my size 12 boot.

Be careful not to back your hobie down a slick, wet, boat ramp with a small car. I've had to help pull many honda's, VW's, Toyota's, and what not, up the local boat ramp with my jeep. It's easy to unload the boat and pull the empty trailer up, but it's a little harder to load the boat and pull the full trailer up the ramp.

If I can find a photo I will ask Jaime to post it- We went to Assateague Island every summer for many years with a Pulsar NX pulling a 16. We carried our bicycles, a canoe, a screen tent and a full sized wall tent, 1 or 2 weeks worth of camping clothing and gear and my kite collection, later years included a child, playpen for said child, coolers, case of NYS wine and all the other crap you bring when you camp out. Got about 27 mpg even though we went up and down some of the steepest hills you ever run into in the east. I miss that car.

Never had a problem on boat ramps either- front wheel drive usually has the front wheels on dry pavement above the waterline.

Snow flurries and crud here time to ski! Still sailing in TX Jim?

_________________The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.

Be careful not to back your hobie down a slick, wet, boat ramp with a small car. I've had to help pull many honda's, VW's, Toyota's, and what not, up the local boat ramp with my jeep. It's easy to unload the boat and pull the empty trailer up, but it's a little harder to load the boat and pull the full trailer up the ramp.

Weather.com says it's supposed to be 71-72, sunny, with 12mph this coming Sunday. Keeping my fingers crossed! Ming says we can get new jib sheet cleats next month. (She really wants the up-to-uncleat. ) I forgot why that was relevent. I guess just to show that she's not upset about her bruise. Which is almost gone now.

My Hobie is towed with my VW camping bus. The VW has a small Diesel engine providing 57hp when it was new. We made it down to the coast a few times this year and many times to the local lakes. The trips are kind of slow - but no trouble with steep boat ramps. We are also thinking about putting a trailer hitch on our Mazda Protege.
Hmmm... try it this way... Would you be concerned giving four of your buddies a ride that are more on the heavier side? Those guys would weigh more than the boat and the trailer.

This represents at least an additional 300 lbs of stuff that came on the trailer- plus passengers and clothing that were packed in the Nissan in the background. Our bicycles aren't visible but they were there too. Can you spot Waldo?

(Thanks Jim!)

_________________The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.

I would suggest that you follow the Owners Manuel when it comes to towing with your VW. I know from my 2002 TDI owners manuel, that the only Jetta that has a tow rating for 1000 pounds is the TDI, which is more than enough to tow a hobie.

Your car could possibly tow it without any problem, but you could end up voiding the warrenty by doing so.

I also know from personal experiance that the auto manufactureres are very conseritive when it comes to tow ratings. I had a 98 Sonoma that was rated for only 1000 pounds and towed almost 3000 pounds with it with no problems.

I towed a 16 to a regatta held by the Garrison Dam (Pik City N.D.) 5 years in a row with my 82 VW Rabbit. It had an automatic trans and would heat up if you went 65 but worked fine at 55. Now I tow an 18 Magnum with a 2000 VW Diesel Beetle. Once you get them rolling they tow real nice!